Powerful Bender
by stabilostory
Summary: The Last Agni Kai.


Katara could only describe it in one way: tragically beautiful. She realised she had never seen two firebenders fight it out. She was surprised by how quiet it was; she had never realised how loud the other elements were. Fighting with water was like being at the beach during a rough storm, waves crashing against the rocks, water droplets hitting the ground. Earth was worse. During her time in the Earth Kingdom most of what she remembered was just loud rocks slamming into each other. Even air was louder - when Aang whipped up a wind it would sound like a hundred flying bysen were rushing to you.

She hadn't ever thought that fire would be so hushed. The two firebenders were both creating the most beautiful flames. She had seen Azula fight before - but not like this. Her eyes seemed manic, she looked murderous. Her hair had been jaggedly cut and her face seemed different. To Katara, Azula seemed deranged. Her usual precise moves were off - usually, she used her middle and index finger for accuracy, now she was using her fist. Somehow she looked vulnerable. But how could a vulnerable person have such power? The height, the heat and the colour of the blue flame were higher, hotter and bluer than Katara had ever seen them before. Her time with Aang had desensitised to most things. She could fight anyone and anything but somehow, at that moment, Katara was terrified of Azula. This Azula was not the one she knew. This Azula was insane.

Zuko could see it too. He hadn't been sure that he could defeat his little sister. She was the prodigy, she was the one with all the power. He was always left behind. Not even Uncle Iroh could produce a blue flame. She was the one who had it put together, he was the one who let his emotions get to him. He had never realised this until recently when he realised that he couldn't bend without anger. Since that visit to the Sun Warriors, he had come to peace with his element. He used to see it as destruction, power, hate and death. Now he knew that fire isn't just that, it's warmth, light and life.

He had never felt stronger in his life. He finally understood how his great-grandfather felt when he saw it in the sky. This strength he felt made him feel invincible - like he could fight his sister and live to tell the tale. Maybe that was why he wasn't afraid that his little sister was going to burn his face off. Or maybe it was because she was not his little sister. The Azula he knew was not this Azula. Every move she was making was not as calculated as it once was. Before, fighting with her was like playing a game of Pai Sho - every move deliberate. Now she was slipping, she was stopping to catch her breath. Usually, she would shout some one-liner that would tip him off balance but now she either was too focused on killing him, or something was wrong. His flame was somehow overpowering hers - he hadn't won an Agni Kai with Azula before. But the fight was not over yet.

He kept punching out bursts of flame, one higher, stronger and more powerful than the other. Orange and blue lights filled the courtyard they were in, Zuko seemed to be flying at one point, using his fire to propel him into the air. He seemed to be full of fire, expelling it out at his sister. When the different coloured flames collided into each other, Katara kept finding it disturbing that they seemed to be whispering something to each other. She wanted these two titan fires to crash into each other with a roaring sound - maybe that would stop it being so _wrong_. As she watched the quiet battle, she admired the power of her friend. She had never seen him this way - collected, calm, calculating. When she had fought him, he always _did_, but never after thinking. He was moving delicately, almost like he was dancing around his sister. It was a stark contrast to the way he used to bend. The comet had given him some extra edge, but Katara knew that this was not just the celestial body. He had grown into a powerful fighter, especially since meeting those firebending masters.

"_I can see that he is a powerful bender" _Aunt Wu's words suddenly came to her mind, as a streaming fireball came out of Zuko's smoking fist. She almost fell to her feet. Was Zuko the powerful bender the fortune teller had foresaw? She looked at him as a wall of yellow flame threw Azula to the ground.

"No lighting today? What's the matter? Afraid I'll redirect it?" Zuko called out to her in a mocking tone. What was he doing? He knew Azula would take up his challenge. What if he couldn't redirect it. He had been fighting for what seemed like an eternity - was the power getting to his head? Why was he tempting her?

The Fire Lord got back up on her feet. "Oh, I'll show you lighting!" She started moving her arms in a circular motion - like all her other moves, slightly off. Blue sparks were coming out of her fingertips, dancing around her, giving her disturbing face an ominous glow. She looked from Zuko to Katara, then smiled.

All of a sudden, time seemed to stop. Katara didn't realise what was happening until Zuko screamed a gutting "NO!" He didn't know what to do - he had expected her to strike him not her. He did this - this was his fault - he got cocky. Suddenly his feet took control, as his brain processed what was happening. He would rather kill himself than watch his Katara die because of his stupidity. He could see the lightning bolt move towards her. He jumped in its way holding out his right arm, trying to redirect it.

That's when the noise Katara had been expecting sounded. A huge crash pinned Zuko to the ground. Out of his other arm, shot out a blast of blue electricity. He was left in the middle of the courtyard on his back, the remaining charge sizzling through his body.

"ZUKO" Katara screamed as she ran his way. All she could see was him. In her heart of hearts, she knew that he was the one she loved - the one she had loved for so long. She couldn't lose him now. Not like this.

_CRASH._ A flash of lightning came crashing down between her and Zuko. Now it was up to her to bring the demented Princess down. Her twisted laughter filled the entire yard. She started throwing fire and lightning at Katara. The waterbender dodged every one of the attacks. Zuko tried to push himself off the ground. Pain seared through his body, every movement he made felt like a million swords was stabbing him in every part of his body. It was getting harder to keep his eyes open. He kept slipping in and out of consciousness. He felt helpless. He was angry at what he had done, he would have won had he not been stupid. Now Katara, the only thing that mattered to him, was going to die. She was a good bender, that was true - maybe the best waterbender he had ever met but Azula had the comet on her side. She was flinging everything in Katara's way.

"Awh my poor baby," he felt a warm hand on his cheek. "Oh Zuko, you're going to be alright." He knew that voice. "Mother, I-" pain tore down his back as he tried to face his long lost mother. "It's alright my little turtleduck. I'm here." Her voice was comforting, like a warm bath after a long day. Her hand felt like a shield, as though nothing could touch him now. "My dear, you will win - good always wins. I'm very proud of what you have done." She murmured softly. He tried to speak but the pain kept cutting him off. Every part of his body felt like it was being torn apart from the inside. He wanted to scream but had no energy to even move his lips.

"My love, I have to go now. I love you so much." He could feel her breath on his cheek as she planted a kiss on his forehead. He could feel himself fade. He suddenly felt numb - the pain leaving his body just as quickly as it entered.

Then he felt like he had just come back up from being underwater for a long time.

Katara's face was just inches away from his face. She had tears in her eyes and a relieved smile on her face. Her hand was still glowing from the healing water. She had saved him. He looked up to her big blue eyes. "Thank you, Katara."

She was no longer holding back her tears - or herself. She leaned in and kissed him. She knew then and there. He was her powerful bender.


End file.
